Upstate NY-based car air freshener maker turns up nose at plan to open slaughterhouse nearby

The company that invented those iconic pine tree-shaped automotive air fresheners is turning up its nose at a proposal to open a slaughterhouse near the firm's northern New York factory.

The Watertown Daily Times reports (http://bit.ly/1USRhuW ) reports a group of local investors wants to build a meat-processing plant in Watertown's Jefferson County Corporate Park, home to the Car-Freshner Corp., whose products have been dangling from rear-view mirrors for more than 60 years.

An official from the company told planning board members Tuesday that Car-Freshner would close its local operations if the plan for the 42,000-square-foot meat-processing plant is approved.

The official says such a neighbor would interfere with fragrance testing in Car-Freshner's state-of-the-art labs.

The slaughterhouse developers say they're looking into special air purifier systems that would cut down on odors from their plant.